Puppetress
by pluushie
Summary: Follows the plight of a young woman who, by chance, stumbles upon the revered missing nin of Sunagakure in the midst of a battle and resultantly becomes his last resort for a weapon when all of his puppets are demolished... SasorixOC; OC POV; R
1. Chapter 1

**Note:** I suppose there are some things to consider before reading this. Firstly, this is obviously an alternate ending to Sasori and Sakura's battle. Here, Deidara blows up the cave, ending the battle early. At the time that I wrote this, I knew little about the Akatsuki and the future of Naruto universe. There will be no mention of war in this story. Sorry if there is confusion, but please bear with me! If you have not read the original Puppetress, it will still be available on my page but is not necessary to read this story. This story will be vastly different in terms of ambience in respect to its original. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this story, and I would love to hear your feedback!

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**Puppetress – Chapter 1**

Plushie

Although I was never praised in the past for being "bright" per se, never did I believe I was "stupid". I always modestly considered myself to be an average person. With no particular weaknesses existed no particular strengths or abilities. People questioned it; some fancied that something about me was "off". However, growing up the happy, _normal_ child I had, I never attempted to change. Why fix what was not broken?

Despite my past normalcy, on a cool summer day, I found myself… Lost? Lost would be the term. It was not the "being lost" that obliterated my past ways, but rather, what became _from _being lost…

I did not realize how fast I was running until my ankle was caught on some bramble and I was sent hurling to the ground. I grunted as I fell, hearing the rustle of leaves as I landed right into a bush. Frustrated, I scrambled to escape its clutches, rising to my full height and brushing off any twigs and other residue, face flushed from running, and, sadly, embarrassment.

I was not sure how I was going to explain my long absence to my parents, who simply thought I was going out for a walk.

But after walking for almost an hour through the forest, something _changed_. I had walked through the forest many times in my life, ever since I was a child. Never had I gotten so lost. It was foolish of me, at my age, to accuse geography of inexplicably moving and casting illusions around me, but considering how lost I was, somehow, I did not doubt it.

I continued walking. Where to, I was not sure. But somewhere, I was bound to run into someone.

I saw the edge of the forest. Or, rather, what I believed to be the edge of the forest. My stomach flipped at the thought. I found myself jogging, despite my fatigue. When I reached the "edge", I saw before my eyes not a river, nor a village, but a cave. A deep, ominous cave that I had never seen in my life. The entrance was fantastically large, and there were shallow pools of water surrounding its opening.

Incredibly distressed, I found myself collapsing into a crouch. I closed my eyes. It seemed that I was even more lost than I had been, suddenly stumbling upon some arbitrary cave.

Hope, however, was not lost when I heard distant voice. Yelling, but a voice nonetheless. My head jerked up. My eyes flew open like saucers. Had I been imagining it?

"Stand back, Sakura!" a woman's voice. Not the same voice I heard before.

Voices, definitely voices, coming from within the cave.

For several moments, I debated my courage. My eyes trained towards any other option—I could just bypass the cave. I could wait until the people came out. But as I looked towards the sky, seeing how high the sun had risen while I was gone, it reminded me that I did not have much time to waste.

Desperate times call for desperate measures? Although I could not say I was "desperate" to get home, I was, in fact, "desperate" to at least _not_ be lost.

That in mind, I wandered into the cave.

My earlier predictions had been correct. The cave was vast. Although from the outside looking in, the darkness seemed to stretch forever. As I walked cautiously through the cave, my eyes adjusted, and I realized that, further beyond what I could tell from the outside, there _was_ some sort of… light area…

I did not drop my guard, I continued following the walls of the cave, hearing my own sandals as they crunched over pebbles on the rock flooring. As I neared the "light area", I saw shadows cast against the wall. Three figures.

I caught wind of a scent. I had not realized how sensitive my nose was, but the aroma was simply pungent at the time.

The smell of fresh blood.

Before I could react, my hand had run over something sharp, I hissed in pain, glancing at the wound. My palm had a long, thin cut. Clean, but still leaking with blood.

In addition to this… the entire hand began to go numb. I panicked, despite myself. I began running, almost blindly towards the light.

Soon after my arrival, I wished that I had just turned around and avoided this cave altogether.

A fight scene! I had been caught in the middle of a skirmish, it seemed. Two women versus a big, bulky character in a red cloud-spangled cloak. I narrowed my eyes. Somehow, he seemed familiar. No doubt all three were shinobi, however, _this man…_

I had not been making a spectacle of myself. I had just stood there, dumbly, slowly processing the magnitude of the situation I had literally walked into. Three sets of eyes were on me. For once in my entire life, I was the center of attention. I shrunk beneath their stares. This was no quarrel. This was no argument. This was full-blown bloodshed. Something a civilian like myself had never scene.

I wordlessly stumbled back, clutching my numbing arm. It was spreading to my shoulder. My heard pounded loudly—if whatever poison was on that needle spreads to my chest, will my major organs stop functioning?

When I looked up, needles were headed my way. I squeezed my eyes shut. But no pain came. The girl, who was several yards away from me, had somehow… deflected the attack?

"Chiyo-baa-sama!" the young girl looked questioningly to her companion. Her look screamed _what do we do with her?_

"I can handle Sasori for now," responded the elderly woman. I had not realized the brilliant blue strings that extended from her fingertips… leading to two large puppets.

…_Puppets?_

The pink-haired girl materialized by my side. It had barely been a minute, but I was already feeling incredibly faint, already collapsed on the ground from exhaustion. She seemed to pick this up right away. My vision hazed, I could not see exactly what she was doing. I did, however, catch the glimpse of a glowing green light, some form of what smelled like disinfectant being liberally applied to where the wound had been. In moments, I found myself recovering.

Vision returned, I sat up. I regarded the hand that I had injured, to find it was completely intact, skin and all. As though it had just been… regenerated? And the poison that once flowed through my veins in attempt to paralyze me, its effects were completely diminished.

"Amazing…" I breathed.

The girl did not bother with preamble, "What are you doing here, onee-san?"

"I"—

She barely gave me time to respond, "You must leave, now!"

As though on cue, the floor rumbled as something came crashing down into the rock.

That _thing_ had a _tail_. I shuddered, suddenly frozen with fear.

I could not bring myself to stand. The girl looked at me, hopelessly. But that thing was coming for us. With no other option, the girl grabbed me by my forearm, and leapt behind the old lady. She braced me as we landed, helping me into a comfortable position propped against the wall.

"Onee-san, please stay here. We will protect you," she affirmed, offering a weak smile, but quickly turning to face her opponent. I could not get a word in, after all.

The ominous figure that they were facing. Something about him exuded an aura that was inhumane. This hunched, _round_ fellow in the cloak had a _tail,_ for God's sake.

"I am your opponent, Sasori!" the pink-haired girl told him vehemently.

_Sasori_?

A tossed needle. In my direction.

A flash of blacks and reds.

The last thing I saw were the shocked expressions from both the pink haired girl and the old woman. I found myself losing consciousness, fast. My whole body felt heavy as lead.

But I never hit the ground.

* * *

"That was unnecessary."

"Saved _your _ass, didn't I, un," muttered a disgruntled man. My eyes cracked open. The sun had long set, and it was evening. The cold suddenly washed over my skin, sending pricks down my spine. I lay dormant beneath a tree, and somehow no matter how forcefully I summoned my nerves, I could not budge.

I could barely focus on the two figures that spoke. Two lean men stood face to face, both wearing identical cloaks.

"Did you capture the jinjuuriki?"

"Of course I did, un!" the same annoyed tone rebuked again. "He's unconscious on the bird, un." Suddenly, he sneered, "And what do _you_ have to show from today's excursion?"

A threatening tone, "Watch your tongue, brat."

A snort, "We finished unexpectedly early. What are you plans, Sasori-no-danna?"

I found my heart racing. _Sasori?! _I had been abducted? Why? What for?

I could not move to get a better view of the men that were speaking. I could do nothing but eavesdrop on their conversation. But now… both men spoke in hushed, urgent tones. Within moments, the gruffer of the two dismissed himself. I heard large wings flap, and felt a gust of wind that pressed me hard against the trunk.

I could barely catch a glimpse of a large, white bird that ascended into the night sky.

Crazy. That was the only word that came to mind, for the entire situation. Not a bad description, definitely the most accurate.

I swallowed, wishing I could scream, thrash, run away…

But whatever he did to me, it was working. I was completely helpless.

I watched as the cloaked figure busied himself. I could not discern what he was doing. However, _this_ "Sasori" was a lot smaller than the previous one in the cave.

_Why?_

This Sasori took the appearance of a young man. He had short, mussed red hair and heavy-lidded eyes. His skin was fair, his jaw angled. Handsome, despite his nature.

At least I had to grudgingly admit that.

Sasori finally averted his attention to me. His expression was lacking, to say the least, but amusement danced in his eyes. Or was I imagining it? He was scrutinizing me. I wanted to fidget, but rendered motionless I could do nothing but sit still under his unwavering gaze. It was though he was undressing me. The thought made me fume—for the amount of time I had been unconscious, God knows what he could have done to me.

"You're conscious." He said simply. Sasori walked over to where I was, kneeling down directly in front of me. Apparently, villains were unfamiliar with the concept known as personal space.

He examined _everything_ about me. He examined my arms, seemed to be taking in account my height, my legs. I wanted to spit at him. Despite the fact that he was openly surveying my body, it did not feel like he was womanizing me. There was nothing perverted about the way he was looking. In fact, he looked like he was a scientist observing his specimen.

It was creepy.

"You must be wondering why I've spared your life."

I wanted to gag. _Spare my life?_ I would have preferred death over _this_.

Whatever this was.

"After my battle, my puppets have become…" he looked like he had swallowed something bitter, but was too polite to spit it out, "…Incapacitated." He enunciated the word like a teacher would to a five-year-old. The sentence hung uneasily in the air.

What did any of this have to do with me?

"As a result, I will need reinforcements. Of course, repairing the puppets would be most practical. But unfortunately," he smirked lopsidedly, ironically to himself, "They have been completely demolished. There is nothing to repair."

Again, nothing to do with me. I could not help but feel increasingly agitated by his presence. The way he lingered so closely to my face, and seemed to find nothing wrong with it. It made me uncomfortable more than his actual nearness.

"I recognize that you are not a shinobi." This statement came apparently out of nowhere. "However, at times like these…"

He trailed, as though for dramatic effect.

"I suppose I have no choice."

I swallowed. I felt some control over my vocal chords. "W-What…"

"My art, amongst many things… lasts forever."

"H-How so…" I found myself humoring him. He seemed pleased, at least, that I was asking about his _art_.

"You will be a puppet… you will be _art_," he sounded like he was talking about a deity.

I was in shock, though I could hardly express it. Perhaps it was better that I couldn't. Somehow I had the feeling that if he were able to my reaction to this news that he would be all the more hasty in actually going through with it.

"Art… huh…" those were the only words that passed my lips. There were a million more things I could have said.

Of course my mind was in turmoil at the time. Despite being flustered over this handsome man's proximity, the thought of becoming a _puppet_—a human puppet. Skin that never rotted, no organs, no emotions, no feeling. Nothing. I would be dead, but preserved. I have heard of such a phenomenon, of humans being turned into puppets. I have heard tale of a genius that turned his parents into puppets, and then became a criminal.

Of course, it was highly likely that these stories were about none other than the mysterious man that was before me. Sasori.

"Hm," Sasori had been watching me.

I tried my hardest to appear unabashed, but I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I was going to die.

I could have cried then. In fact, I probably should have. Perhaps it would have prevented the conversation that ensued following my silence.

"You seem to wish for death, brat."

The derogatory name caught my attention almost as much as his statement did. I had not expected _that_. I responded weakly, "I just don't think there's… there's any p-point resisting…"

He quirked a brow.

I wanted to kick him away, but my muscles did not allow it. I was tense. I tried to relax. Exhaling, I continued, "Y-You have already won."

"Yes, I have."

"So w-what would the point be… in _resisting_. To make my death come sooner?" I found myself spitting out the words.

"You're only feigning bravery then?"

"If that means spiting you," I responded darkly. I shrank instantly at the heavy glare that he rested on me soon afterwards. He leaned in close—so close that our noses nearly touched.

"Don't test my patience, brat," he growled. If I hadn't known better, I would have swore I saw fangs beneath his lip.

Foolish, foolish me.

I chose not to respond to him either way, deciding that I had made enough conversation for the evening.

Despite the lack of response, his face remained close to mine. I shifted uncomfortably, but found my back firmly pressed against the tree. The bastard had me caged in. Feeling utterly violated, the only thing I could do at the moment was look away. Ignore him, by all means. But for what seemed like an eternity, he stayed there.

When I finally looked at him again, he was fretting himself over the contents of his pouches. Needles, vials of what an optimist would call _medication_, and other trinkets and tools.

A deliberately scratched Sunagakure shinobi headband. My mind raced. Sasori was a missing nin. Of course he was.

I regarded my appearance. Shorts and sweater all mangled, ripped in places, and dirtied with mud and splotches of blood. I did not want to know whose blood it was. My hair—long and red as it was—was also covered in what seemed to be excrement.

Anger stirred. I felt my entire body heat up, despite the cold night. I was uncomfortable, helplessly lost, _stolen…_

And this young man would be my murderer.

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**Note:** I do not own Naruto, reviews are love!


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: **Thanks to those who have decided to continue reading my rewrite here! I've decided to make "Yokomo" a surname rather than a first name (because it actually _isn't_ a first name, but… eh, what did I know back then). The events are not going to follow the original exactly, but it'll be close enough. Anyway, enjoy!

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**Puppetress – Chapter 2**

Plushie

Two days passed since I had been abducted from the cave. I did not make conversation with Sasori since that evening. Three times a day, he would approach me with a single pill, and I would not hunger, thirst, or grow tired. On any other day, such symptoms would no doubt have relieved me, but in this situation, it was nothing short of alarming. Not only this, every morning he dosed me with an injection of some pink fluid—it was quick and painless, or I just could not tell because my entire body was paralyzed anyway. I assumed, quite optimistically, that the effects of the medication were only temporary.

But who would have faith in _this guy_? I found myself staring vehemently at his back. Nothing but scrolls and mixing liquids for hours and hours each day. Every so often, he would leave the clearing, but never exceeded an hour or so when he did this. Despite being out in the forest, rarely did I ever encounter any animals or insects lurking around. Again, nothing short of _alarming_. It was as if he took me to a twilight zone where time passed, but life just _stopped_. Save for the plant life around us, it seemed that all creatures, including myself, ceased living.

But Sasori was active as ever.

Even worse, he was plotting something.

And I could do nothing but sit there, seething, wishing for so many things at once. I regretted leaving my house, I regretted walking into that cave, I regretted being nothing more than a helpless civilian amongst the powerful world of the shinobi…

There was really nothing I could do about my situation, but wait. And it aggravated me, made me anxious, made me nothing less than horrified at what my future could hold.

I knew nothing about the practice of puppet-making, even less about the act of turning humans into puppets. I did not know what needed to be _done_. But my imagination was not kind. Gory images of my innards being torn out, my skin being scraped off one sliver at a time, my eyes being gouged out, my blood, drained from every artery, every vein, every _capillary_.

It made me sick to my stomach.

But at that exact time—early in the morning, I swallowed my yearning to be free, my fear of death, and my fear of everything else that was happening around me. At the time, I just simply _needed_ to interact with someone.

Even if it had to be Sasori.

"Why are we still here?" I asked him. My voice was more demanding than I had intended. I winced, hoping that he would not be irritated with me.

He continued his business, and responded me like a parent would to a five-year-old's absurd stories: "There's no reason to leave."

The way he kept talking down to me was frustrating. I scowled. "I have been sitting here for two days."

"Your well-being is not my concern."

"You seemed so hasty for a new weapon, yet you've been taking your time in turning me," I quipped, almost regretting it, but suppressing the feeling. I needed to test him _somehow_.

Sasori was unperturbed, responding easily, "It takes time to make a proper puppet."

"That is all?"

"Hn."

"I couldn't help but notice that you had no qualms leaving me unattended here." I said scathingly.

I could practically hear the sneer in his voice, "Why would I?"

"If _you_ could kidnap me, why would someone else not?"

"They have no reason to."

"You mean some sick man couldn't just pass by and notice a _paralyzed woman _sitting alone beneath a tree and get some disgusting ideas?" I snapped. "Now you're just faking naiveté."

Sasori was so casual about his response that it was insulting. "That should be the last of your fears."

I emitted an unladylike snort.

"In short," Sasori seemed utterly amused by the irony of his own statement, "You're safe here."

"_Safe?_" I repeated his choice of word incredulously, but did not elaborate further.

"Hmm." He was beginning to seal some vials and put them neatly back in several compartments.

Then, he disappeared, reappearing next to me with a needle prepared. I watched him reproachfully. "What is it that you're dosing me with?"

"Nothing life-threatening," he muttered. In a quick movement, he injected me. I hissed, but it was merely a hard poke, and then a numbing soreness in my arm. "Just something to keep you dormant."

"You are Sasori of the red sand," I said simply.

He smirked wryly, "And?"

I shivered. I could not help but be afraid of him. But knowing my death was inevitable anyway, it would be best to feign valor… for now.

"Shouldn't you be much older?" I finished my sentence firmly. I was too bold.

His expression never changed, and he eyed me, most likely gauging my seriousness. Again, I felt slightly insulted—just because I was not a shinobi did not mean I was deprived of important information like this.

"I should be, brat," his voice was completely void. He was still pressing a piece of cotton to the place he had injected with medication, "But I have not aged."

"So how old are you, as you are?"

"Twenty-two," he said simply. His eyes narrowed at me.

I scowled, "And you call me a brat? You're only two years my senior."

He looked entertained. It bothered me.

"I should be in my late thirties at this time," he responded. He smiled—a queer, wan smile. It made my skin crawl.

I should have never investigated his age. Just knowing this person had stopped aging, and was actually almost forty… it was greatly unsettling. And to die by this person's hands, and leave my carcass behind as his belonging, his _puppet_, was even more disturbing. I felt my tear ducts stinging, but more than anything, I did not want to allow this _monster_ to see me cry.

"That's… that's fucking creepy," I managed to choke out. I sounded absolutely pathetic.

He chuckled. It was strange to hear him laugh. A sardonic smile remained, and he did not respond.

"Fear for your life, brat," he said after he stood, striding over to where he had left his things. "I could take it away easily."

My eyes narrowed at him.

Then why doesn't he?

Probably for some sick reason.

Despite my disquietedness, I heard his voice again, "It will most likely take two weeks."

_Two weeks?_ Although baffled, I found myself asking, "What do you mean?"

"To make preparations for your transformation," again, he sounded downright zealous. I frowned.

"What sorts of preparations?"

"There is a surgical element to it," Sasori began, "There are certain tools we require. Scapels, intravenous machines, gauge, stitches…" he trailed off when he noticed how quickly the atmosphere had changed. I could tell he was pleased with the way I was taking all of this. My face was distorted with a mixture of horror and disgust. I could hardly believe what I was hearing.

I looked up at him, he had turned almost completely. He had been watching my expression. I scowled at him.

"That's all very morbid," I stated almost all of what I thought.

He was sitting cross-legged. Propping his elbow on his leg, he rested his cheek against his fist, his gaze idly resting on me, unwavering, _watching_.

What for?!

Appalled by how openly he was staring, I turned my gaze away from his, teeth clenching. How dare he make me feel this helpless?

He most likely took pleasure in my fear, and I was allowing him that satisfaction with each passing second.

Several minutes passed. My eyes had been closed, and I was dozing off. Footsteps awoke me. Eyes fluttering open, I skeptically looked towards the man that was approaching me. For once he was actually _walking_ towards me instead of just appearing in front of me. He kneeled down beside me.

"Breakfast?" I uttered sarcastically, as he raised the pill to my mouth.

"Essentially, yes."

I ate it without question. I had been eating nothing but these for three days now. He raised a cup if water to my lips. I took large sips. God knows when he would take the time to keep me hydrated.

He seemed taken with just watching me. Most likely looking down upon my civilian needs.

I cleared my throat, somehow embarrassed that he had watched me chug all that water like that. "What exactly are those pills?"

"Soldier pills. Shinobi bring them on long journeys. It's a full meal, and more," he said simply.

"Interesting."

A smirk, and then he rose to his full height, casting a shadow over me.

"We will go to the village tonight," he told me. "To pick up some supplies."

My mind tensed. Leaving? To a village? I looked up at him suspiciously. Did he not know how notorious he was? Surely someone has his picture in the Bingo book. Surely he did not expect me to just follow along like a little puppy, without trying to escape?

No, this acclaimed genius could not possibly be that reckless. Perhaps he had the intention of knocking me out beforehand, and just dragging my body along?

I doubted that him carrying around an unconscious girl would not attract attention in a civilian village.

My brows furrowed, and I stared at my bruised, dirty knees. This was my chance to escape!

He was sitting down in his previously vacated spot, half turned towards me as he continued organizing his things. He did not check up on me.

_What could this guy possibly be planning?_

I overlooked his appearance again, trying not to consider the things I already knew about him. I feared him because I was aware of his capability and intention to kill me. I feared him because he was dangerous. However, his external appearance did not scream "murderer" or "monster" or "should be forty". In fact, I admitted grudgingly to myself, he was rather cute. Someone a girl would look twice at.

I suppose that he could potentially be left alone in a village looking like that, and not like that large being he was in the cave.

The odds, quite frankly, were not in my favor.

More planning would be required.

* * *

I woke up in a cold sweat. It was pitch black outside. My entire body felt incredibly sore, but unlike all the other times I had woken up against this tree, I actually could _feel_. My stomach felt light, but not wanting food. My throat did not feel dry. It felt as though I just had a very uncomfortable sleep, but otherwise, nothing else felt particularly strange.

Those soldier pills were quite the miracle. Gaining some strength, I moved my finger. It was strange, as I lacked the ability to move any of my appendages for three days. I stretched my neck, my arms, flexed the muscles in my legs. And, with deliberate slowness, I pushed myself up onto my knees.

I exhaled the breath I had been holding. Why, all of a sudden, can I move? Even in the mornings when I wake up, I am usually always paralyzed.

Perhaps he had miscalculated the dosage? Even still, it was a terrible mistake. This was my chance to escape.

I staggered to my feet, leaning against the trunk of the tree for support. My back was sore beyond words. I winced, hearing it crack as I arched. My body hardly felt like my own.

I hesitated, but I extended my first foot forward, taking my first step. My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, and I could discern the shapes of Sasori's things, now neatly in a pile at the edge of the clearing. But… where was _he_?

He definitely was not in the vicinity of his things. This in mind, I crept towards the pile of pouches and weaponry. I kneeled down slowly, cursing the cracking in my knees and joints as I did so. I searched frantically for a blade, and, within moments, I found one. A small dagger gleamed in the moonlight. Carefully I reached for its handle, lifting it to my eyes. The edge seemed sharp enough. Satisfied, I rose again, this time ducking behind the nearest tree. I felt confident with the blade in my hand. At least now, I was not completely defenseless.

I surveyed the clearing, searching everywhere for a body, but there was none to be found. I frowned. Had Sasori left in the middle of the night?

I had no more time to look. I turned on my heel, and willed myself to bolt.

Blade pointed downwards and clutched in my white-knuckled fist, I ran through the forest. I could hardly believe the speed I achieved. The dark greens and browns of the forest flew by me, and I was whisking through the branches and leaves that snagged on my hair, on my sweater, and my legs.

My feet hurt, and my legs threatened to give out beneath me, but I forced them to continue moving. I could barely control my direction.

I burst into a new clearing. I was panting, sweating, and most of all, lost. But in the very least, I was away from _him_. I hunched over, hands on my knees. Sweat dripped from the tip of my nose. My bangs were drenched, and plastered to my forehead.

Where to go next?

My ears perked at the sound of rushing water. I looked up. Water? A river. Rivers led to towns. Swallowing the lump in my throat and breathing deeply, I navigated through the trees, trying my hardest to rely on my senses to guide me to the adjacent river.

It took a few minutes, but finally I burst through the bushes, onto soft, moist grass.

A clear river.

I crawled over to the edge, taking a handful and splashing it on my face. I stabbed the blade into the soil, and immediately took off my soiled sweater, leaving me in nothing but a fish net tank top and a pair of loose shorts, which I removed. I had compression shorts underneath anyway.

Lastly were my sandals. I kicked them off next to the blade, and leapt into the river. It was not too deep, a little less than six feet in depth. I dove, and then resurfaced. I needed to tread water—I was not nearly tall enough to stand. It felt so nice to be in cool water after sprinting through the woods like that.

My solitude, unbeknownst to me at the time, had actually been very short-lived. I had been followed.

I would only become aware of this fact when a voice sounded in the distance.

"So this is where you went."

I froze, and, without thinking, took a deep breath and sunk into the water. Like a child hiding beneath a blanket.

A hand tugged on my hair, pulling me up. I yelped in pain, clutching my scalp. "Let me go!" I kicked water, splashing it everywhere. The person did not stop pulling until I landed on the grass with a grunt. I moved my hair from my face, looking up at none other than Sasori, who stood before me with what could have passed as a slightly impressed expression.

"So the poison had worn off a bit early," he mused. Amusement twinkled in his brown eyes, "interesting."

I looked at him in disbelief, "That's all you have to say after I nearly escaped from you?"

"You could never escape," he stated calmly. His expression darkened, and he smirked.

Was he taunting me?

I dragged myself into a kneeling position, and hung my head. My hair fell over my face, a thick, tangled, wet mass of hair. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. I could never escape him? My heart sank. He really was going to kill me. I really was going to become a puppet.

Completely demoralized, I allowed him to lift me up and drape me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He disregarded my sweater, my shorts, my sandals, as well as the dagger as he carried me off, presumably back to the previous clearing.

He leapt into the trees. I was in the air, and it felt like my stomach was still on the ground. He made my running look like a snail's pace. He bounded from branch to branch so gracefully, I felt like I was soaring.

And we were back at the clearing in minutes.

He plunked me insensitively on the ground. My clothes and hair were sticking to my skin. I felt naked, especially since he had left my clothes and shoes at the river. Besides having my dignity taken away from me, I was also incredibly cold. I shivered, goose bumps pricking along my skin. I curled up in fetal position, squeezing my eyes shut.

Sasori snorted some distance away, "Cold?"

"Are you stupid?" I retorted, perhaps a bit too bitter to be smart about my tone. I curled up even tighter. "I'm drenched and practically naked, of course I'm cold, _asshole_."

I instantly wished I could take back my last word. The newfound tension was palpable. Gruff steps could be felt through the soil in my direction. I saw painted toenails and sandals. If I had been in a better mood, a moment later I would have thought of a million put-downs to say to a man that _painted_ his _toenails_. But in the moment, all I felt was immense hatred for the character before me, the _only person_ I could interact with for days.

He knelt down. I felt a warm, dry blanket being draped over me. I stiffened. My shaking fingers took hold of the fabric, and I thankfully drew the blanket tightly around me. It smelled nice.

"Th-Thank you." I found myself saying. My chest tightened. Why was he being _nice_, of all things? And why was _I_ being nice back? I mentally kicked myself, frowning as I realized I had shown weakness to my enemy. Stupid, civilian emotions.

"It was foolish to attempt an escape," Sasori jested, a hint if irritation in his voice. He glared at me. I pulled part of the blanket over my face. He scoffed at this. "You're afraid of me again? Just moments ago you were so moved over a _blanket_."

I flushed red. He had noticed after all. He quirked his brow, an expression that did not seem natural for him.

My next sentence was a hurried attempt to sound vindictive, "I was not expecting eloquence from the man the plans to make me a puppet before he even knows my _name_."

The sentence was rash. What I was saying barely made sense. But I was so angry at him when I said it, that I hardly cared.

Sasori did not comment on how nonsensical I was being. Instead, he simply asked, "What is your name?"

I choked. Genuine surprise washed over me. Why was he humoring me like this? I composed myself quickly, "Sumire."

"What's your surname?"

"Yokomo."

"Hn. Strange."

I narrowed my eyes. "As if your opinion matters."

"I like it."

I twitched, eyeing him with distrust.

"We will be leaving soon," he changed the subject immediately after. He attached his pouches to his hips, and around his right thigh. His cloak appeared thick and heavy, but he pushed it aside with ease. "It is almost sunrise."

I took this as an indication to sit up. I did so slowly, feeling a slight ache in my body. I held the blanket securely around me, watching as he readied himself for travel. He glanced at my attire.

"We will get you clothes suitable for travelling," he said simply. "What were you thinking, brat? Wearing such little clothes."

My face must have been beet red. "I had a sweater and shorts, but when you abducted me from the river you left them!"

Raised eyebrows, "Hn?"

I exhaled, exasperated. "Never mind."

He did not bring it up again, for which I was grateful. Somehow being with my companion was more tolerable than it had been. His ideas of art were insane, and he had outright admitted his intentions of killing me. Despite this, the way he treated me was quite normal. Besides his habit of calling me "brat", he was not _impolite_. Gruff and condescending, but nothing unbearable.

God, what was I thinking?

I inwardly swore at myself for my lenience. He wanted to skin me and turn me into a _toy_.

Sasori interrupted my thoughts. He grabbed my bicep and lifted me to my feet. He held me until a regained my balance, and then gruffly guided me away from the clearing.

He allowed me to keep the blanket.

Judging from the sun, which was rising to my left, I concluded that we were heading south.

"Is the village far?"

He seemed unsure whether he should answer, but ended up conceding, "Yes."

I did not annoy him with more questions after that. I tried to ignore the firm grip on my arm as he continued to lead me.

No matter what, I needed to keep trying to get away from this man. I observed his wild, red hair, and compared it to my own. My hair was not quite as red as his, but still, it had been a while since I had met someone with hair like that. Like _mine_.

I shook my head. What was I doing, finding commonalities between us under such circumstances?

* * *

The village was bustling with life. Having been away from a society for so long, the sounds of multiple voices, the sounds of _civilians_, it made my heart leap out of my chest, it nearly made me cry out with joy.

"Your expression betrays you."

His cold voice snapped me out of my reverie, and I couldn't resist but glare at the back of his head. It was weird walking around barefoot. I had been walking barefoot this entire time, but luckily the forest itself had rich, green grass, and the roads consisted of soft warm sand.

Sasori mentioned at some point during the two-hour walk that he would provide me with new sandals. My shoulders sagged as I glanced at my dirtied feet, nose scrunching up.

"Here."

I was too shocked to pull away when Sasori released my arm and took my wrist firmly but gently. He dropped a pouch onto my palm. It was rather heavy, and I suspected it was filled with money. I eyed him curiously.

"Go buy yourself clothes, and shoes," he said bluntly. His eyes danced… challenging me? Daring me to try to run off with his money, most likely.

He was not so foolish. I was positive that this wasn't all the money he carried around with him anyway. Of course, that was not the only thing that concerned him.

For the first time since we met I had the inkling to demand _why me_, when there was a village full of people right here, all of which he could just as easily turn into puppets. I wondered why he would settle for me, specifically?

I would ask him later.

Noting this, I nodded dumbly at his demand, bowing my head in a quick thanks before hurrying off. I felt his eyes on me as I disappeared in the crowd.

The villagers watched me unpleasantly. Probably because I was a dirty young woman running around with just a pouch of money and a folded blanket in my arms, but otherwise nothing. I ignored them.

My insides screamed to run up to someone and pour out my story, as well as beg for help and directions. But something else tugged at my mind—the image of Sasori's eyes when he handed me the money remained etched in my memory, a warning.

He would definitely find out.

This in mind, I walked into a store. The girl behind the counter jumped in surprise. Her eyes widened at my appearance, and she coughed politely. She smiled at me, one that looked slightly offhanded, but at least she was making an effort. "Can I help you?"

"I'll be fine, thanks," I said through grated teeth. It was annoying having so much attention. I blamed Sasori for my appearance.

My eyes wandered about the store. In the end, I was just looking for the bare essentials. It would not be wise to spend all of Sasori's money on nice clothes when they were most likely going to be ruined anyway. I settled with a pair of tight fitting black polyester pants and a fitted, warm blue sweater with a hood. Finally, I bought sandals similar to the ones I had lost in black. All the items did not amount to too much.

After finding suitable clothes, I looked for a place where I could take a bath. Sure enough, there was a bathhouse, open to the public. They were much more polite about my disarrayed appearance than the rest of the village, escorting me to a shower and providing me with a towel and a bathrobe, as well as nice smelling soaps. The shower, not-too-surprisingly, was half the price of the clothes. I winced at the receipt—hopefully Sasori would take no mind.

I immediately changed into my new clothes after I was clean, discarding my previous garments in the trash. My hair fell in long wet tendrils, dampening my sweater slightly. I frowned. For good measure, I mussed my hair with a towel one last time before I departed.

I felt a lot more comfortable walking around in clean, civilian clothes. Now that I no longer captured any unwanted attention, it was easier to look around and admire the decorations that had been brought out for the festival.

I envied the woman with their elegant hair ornaments and their extravagant yukatas. They barely seemed to notice me, too ethereal—too much a part of their surroundings to be perturbed by me, an outsider. I sighed, wishing that I had something pretty to wear.

"So you've found what you needed. Let's be on our way," said a brusque voice behind me. I whirled around, not too surprised to see Sasori looming over me, apparently in a rush. I noticed that he had put on a Chinese-style hat, complete with a couple of bells and white tassels along its circumference. In the back of my mind, I wondered where the _hell _he kept the thing. He extended his palm expectantly. I dropped the sack into his awaiting hand, unable to hide my contempt. This only amused him.

"Your clothing seems practical enough in terms of appearance. Is it light enough?"

"Yes."

"Good." Sasori seemed ready to go, but I remembered something.

"Wait!"

Sasori turned. I held out the blanket I had been holding in my arms. He took it from me, uttered some incantation, and it disappeared in a cloud of smoke. I was too startled to comment.

He shot me a look to follow him, and he began walking back where he came from. I hurried to keep up with his pace, glancing around at the lanterns and the people.

I wanted so badly to just stay. Surely someone around hear knew about my village, where this _was_, at least…

But…

Sasori had found me so quickly, and deep inside I feared what would happen if I even asked a question as simple as "Where am I".

I sighed, keeping a couple steps behind him. I forced myself to focus forward. It was not long before we passed through the entirety of the small village, and were now following a narrow path to nowhere. The path cut through a large stretch of farmland. Everything smelt and looked so inexplicably fresh, that it caught me off-guard.

Then, there was a large field of just _flowers_.

The sight made me stop at once at the peak of the hill. I overlooked the fields of multicolored flowers before me, complete with a small creek.

It was _breathtaking_.

"Yokomo."

Sasori caught my attention. He was peering at me from where he stood at the base of the hill. I could not tell his expression—his face was well in the shade of his colossal hat.

I inwardly shook myself out of my reverie. "I'll be there."

Sasori continued walking. I jogged down the hill, arms outstretched to keep my balance as my sandals seemed to slip over the rubble. I checked quickly to see if he was watching before I crouched down, plucking a single pink flower from the bunch and bringing its petals near my nose, inhaling deeply. It smelled wonderful.

Perhaps I was taking too long, "_Yokomo_. Do not keep me waiting, brat."

I looked up at him, annoyed, "Just a moment!" I plucked several other flowers, holding their stems together in a makeshift bouquet. Sasori watched my actions with an unreadable expression, but nonetheless waited patiently until I was standing on my feet again. In a slightly better mood, I followed him without being told again.

* * *

**Note:** A nice long chapter! Again, I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts, even a simple "YAY" would be enough!

I do not own Naruto.


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